William f



(No Model.)

P. GAGE. FOLDING BRACKET.

Patented Oct. 25

gay

- is the bracket-arm, hinged in any suitable man 7 which it is to be applied.

pose to be hereinafter explained, I form an UNrTEn STATES PATENT Gr mes.

WILLIAM F. GAGE, OF JOHNSTOIVN, NEW YORK.

FOLDING BRACKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,215, dated October 25, 188'7.

Application filed December 24, 1886. Serial No. 222,458. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. GAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county of- Fulton and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Brackets, of which the'following is a specification, to wit:

This invention relates to an improvement in folding brackets; and it consists in certain novel details of construction, whereby, when the bracket is extended, it is locked and kept i so by the weight placed upon it, substantially as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a side elevation of my bracket; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the lockingjoint of the brace, and Fig. 3 a detail perspective view of the same parts separated to better illustrate them.

a represents the vertical arm or plate to which the bracket proper is attached; and a ner to the plate a, and formed on its outer end, in the present instance, with a hook or shoulder, (0 but which I shall make of any size and shape found most suitable for the purpose to A two-part or jointed brace, I) Z), is hinged at one end to the plate a and at the otherend to the bracket-arm a. The member I) is provided on the under side with lugs 0, between which is pivoted a lug, 0, formed on the end ofthe member I) of the brace, and to admit of aslight longitudinal movement of the menr hers I) I) with respect to each other, fora purelongated slot, d, in the lug c of member I), through which slot the pivot-pin d passes. The member b of the brace has short rigid arms b",extending past the lugs 0, and adapted to overlap the upper surface of the member I) in rear of its log 0', said lug a being provided with a forwardly-projecting nose, (1 which,

when the members of the brace are in position to-support the bracketarm, overlaps the under surface of the member b in rear of thelugs 0. Owing to this construction it will be noticed that when the members of the brace are in line and the pivot-pin d in the inner end of the slot at, as shown in Fig. 2, the members of the brace will be locked against movement upon the pivot in either direction, and can only be released by moving the members of the brace longitudinally with relation to each other to bring the pivot-pin (1 into the outer end of slot (1, when the members of the brace may be folded, as seen in Fig. 1.

In use this bracket is made of any desired form and size, and is secured in place by nails, screws, or other convenient means. Then it is to be used, the arm is lifted till its brace is extended, and when allowed to settle back the two parts of the brace slide slightly together and are locked firmly by the overlapping lip d". Vhen it is to be folded, the arm is again lifted to release the brace, and the latter can then be readily folded up, as shown. The weight placed upon the bracket always tends to retain it more tirmly locked, and it is therefore not liable to accident.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to securev by Letters Patent. is-

1. In a folding bracket, the combination, with the back plate and thebracket-arm hinged thereto, of a supporting-brace formed in two.

parts having overlapping ends and connected by a slotted joint, whereby the two parts overlap and lock against movement in either direction when extended for use, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a folding bracket, the combination, with the back a and hinged arm a, of the twopart brace 12 Z), formed with the jointlugs 00', slot d, projecting arms b", and nose or lip (1 substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WVM. F. GAGE.

WVitnesses:

ROBERT P. AMBAL, THOMAS L. BURNS. 

